Ludhiana: Man behind Model Town snatching a repeat offender, say cops

The victim, Alka Malhotra, wife of a city businessman, remains under treatment at a private hospital; she lost two teeth and sustained a head injury in the attack

The police have identified the man involved in the August 15 snatching incident in Model Town, where a 55-year-old woman was left seriously injured just metres from her home. Investigators revealed that the accused, a resident of Tajpur Road, is a repeat offender with two snatching cases already lodged against him. He had been out on bail since May 28.

The footage shows the accused initially riding past after failing to grab the purse, only to return seconds later. (HT Photo)

Police further said that the scooter used in the crime was itself stolen by the accused from the Tajpur area barely a week ago. After the crime, he parked it at Ludhiana railway station before slipping away on foot towards Kesarganj Mandi. CCTV footage has captured his movements, and teams are on the lookout to arrest him.

The victim, Alka Malhotra, wife of a city businessman, remains under treatment at a private hospital. She lost two teeth and sustained a head injury in the attack.

According to footage retrieved from a CCTV camera near the spot, the incident took place around 3.45 pm when Alka was returning from a market near Dugri Road. She was just 10 metres from her house when a masked man on a red scooter attempted to snatch her purse. As he tugged at it, she was pushed to the ground, her face striking the road.

The footage shows the accused initially riding past after failing to grab the purse, only to return seconds later. He picked up the purse before fleeing on the scooter. The victim’s son, Ruhan Malhotra, in his complaint alleged that the assailant also took away a diamond bangle his mother was wearing at the time.

A senior police officer said, “The accused has been identified and is on the run. He already has two FIRs registered against him. We are confident of nabbing him soon.”